Lever action trigger system



April 6,1968 J. 5. LAWRENCE 3,377,731

LEVER ACTION TRIGGER SYSTEM Filed March 14, 1966 r 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR JOgiN S. LAWRENCE April 16, 1968 J. s. LAWRE NCE 3,377,731 LEVER ACTION TRIGGER SYSTEM Filed March 14, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 v INVE/V r02 JOHN SLAWRENCE April 1968 J. s. LAWRENCE 3,377,131

LEVER ACTION TRIGGER SYSTEM Filed March 14, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent 3,377,731 LEVER ACTION TREGGER SYfiTEM John S. Lawrence, Ogden, Utah, assignor to Browning Industries, Inc., Mountain Green, Utah Filed Mar. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 534,115 9 Claims. (CI. 42-20) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A firearm having a receiver, a hammer and a cocking lever pivotally mounted on the receiver capable of cocking the hammer to a half-cock or full-cock position, a sear pi-votally mounted in the receiver, the hammer having a deep notch and a shallow notch engaged by the sear when the hammer is in the half-cock and full-cock positions respectively, a trigger pivotally mounted on the cocking lever, the trigger having a sear link pivotally mounted at one end and a stop member on the other end for limiting the pivotal movement of the sear link; the sear link being provided with a hook which engages the sear to release the hammer only when the hammer is in the full-cock position and being ineffectual to engage the sear when the hammer is in a half-cock position or when the trigger is depressed prior to completion of the cocking action of the rifle.

This invention relates to fire-arms and is more particularly directed to a lever action trigger system for firearms.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a firearm having a lever for cocking purposes with a trigger system on the lever whereby upon a swinging movement of the lever to its open and closed positions, the trigger moves with the lever.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a lever-type rifle with a trigger mechanism that is mounted on the lever and will disconnect from the sear when the lever is opened without disturbing the sear and when the lever is being closed, the trigger mechanism will not disturb or engage the sear so as to cause the hammer to fall or be fired.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a rifle with a cocking lever upon which the trigger mechanism is mounted that will not fire when the lever is being closed with the trigger pulled nor will the trigger be forced into a battery position causing a reactive force on the users finger, but that the trigger must first be released after the lever is closed before the hammer can be made to fall and fire the riflle.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a rifle which may be cocked by withdrawing the hammer by ones thumb whereby in the event the hammer should slip before being fully cocked, the hammer will swing toward the bolt and be stopped at its half-cock position and will not fall under any circumstances from the halfcock position even if the trigger is subsequently pulled.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a rifle with an exposed hammer which may be lowered to the fired position from half-cock position without firing a cartridge by pulling the hammer slightly towards the cocking position, then pulling the trigger and letting the hammer fall slowly in the direction of the bolt.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a firearm with a trigger system having a balanced sear that will not be actuated to fire the gun when subjected to severe shocks or vibrations.

With these and other objects in view, the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specificaice tion, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a firearm with parts broken away constructed in accordance with my invention with the hammer shown in the fired postiion.

FIGURE 2 is a similar view showing the cocking lever in its extended or open position.

FIGURE 3 is a similar view showing the firearm in a cocked and ready to fire or battery position.

FIGURE 4 is a similar View with the trigger partially pulled.

FIGURE 5 is a similar view with the trigger pulled and the hammer released to fire a cartridge.

FIGURES 6 and 7 are similar views showing the hammer fully cocked while the trigger had been partially and fully pulled, respectively during the closing of the lever in the cocking operation.

FIGURE 8 is a similar view with the hammer at its half cocked position and the trigger partially pulled.

FIGURE 9 is a similar view with the trigger fully pulled.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals are used to designate similar parts throughout the several views, the numeral 10 refers to a rifle shown in part sufficiently only to permit a complete understanding of my invention and consisting of a receiver 11 to one end of which a barrel (not shown) is mounted in axial alignment with a bolt chamber 12. which extends along the full length of the receiver 11. Shown in part is a wood shoulder stock 22 that is secured to the receiver 11, extending rearwardly therefrom and mounted over a tubular main spring housing 13.

The receiver 11 is provided with a cavity or chamber 14 in which the rifle operating mechanism is housed as is explained in detail hereinafter with openings 15, 16 and 17 extending into the receiver 11 and communicating with the chamber 14. Extending through the opening are the gear teeth 18 of a main gear 19 on which a pinion gear 20 is axially and integrally mounted for concerted rotational movement about a pivot pin 21 that is secured to the side walls of the receiver 11.

The gear teeth 18 engage the teeth of a rack 24- formed on the lower surface of a bolt 25 that is slidably mounted in the bolt chamber 12. Axially disposed along the full length of the bolt 25 is a firing pin 26 that normally extends slightly beyond the rear end portion of the bolt 25 and in position to be struck by a hammer 27 for firing a cartridge (not shown).

The hammer 27 is pivotally mounted on a pivot pin 28 within the chamber 14 having an exposed head portion 29 extending through the opening 16 with a knurled portion 30 to permit cocking the hammer 27 with ones thumb. The forward impetus imparted on the hammer 27 in firing a cartridge is efiected by a main spring 33 anchored at one end by a pin extending through the main spring housing 13 and exerting a yielding force against a main spring follower 35 which engages one end of a hammer strut 36. The other end of the hammer strut 36 lies along an open slotted portion 37 formed along an edge of a lower portion of the hammer 27 and engages a recessed portion 138 whereby the force of the coil spring 33 causes the hammer 27 to rotate in a direction that brings the head 29 of the hammer 27 in forceful contact with the firing pin 26.

Below the hammer strut 36 within the chamber 14 and in close proximity to the lower portion 43 of the hammer 27 is a scar 3S pivotally mounted at approximately it's mid-portion by a pivot pin 39. The sear 38 is provided with a lip 40 that is adapted to be received by either of a pair of notches 41 and 42 formed along the lower edge 43 of the hammer 27. When the lip 40 of the sear 38 engages the upper notch 41, the hammer is at its fully cocked position while with the lip 40 in the lower notch 42, the hammer 27 is at its half-cock position. The full cock notch 41 is a shallow notch while the half-cock notch 42 is a deep notch, both notches 41 and 42 being positioned on the edge 43 which is a curved surface formed of an arc of a circle whose center is at the center of the pivot pin 28 about which the hammer 27 pivots. A coil spring 44 yieldingly forces the sear lip 40 into engagement with the hammer surface 43 and notches 41 and 42. At the lower end of the sear 33 is sunface 49 alongside a scar link or trigger engaging notch 45 which eooperates with a sear link book 46 mounted on a sear link 47 for releasing and firing the hammer 27 when cocked as is explained in detail hereinafter.

On the lower edge portion of the receiver 11 is a cocking lever 50 pivoted thereto by a pivot pin 51. The lever 50 which extends through the opening 17 into the chamber 14 is provided with the customary trigger guard 52 and cocking handle 53 on the outer portion while the inner end portion 54 of the lever 50 is provided with an arcuate opening 55 along whose inner edge is a rack 56 having companion gear teeth engaged by the pinion gear 20. By this arrangement of cooperatively engaged gearing, upon pivoting the lever 50 about its pivot pin 51 in a direction away from shoulder stock 22, the swinging movement of the rack 56 will cause the pinion gear and main gear 19 to rotate about the common pivot 21 and the bolt is made to slide rearwardly against the head 29 of the hammer 27. The hammer 27 will pivot rearwardly about its pivot pin 28 against the spring pressure 33 until the hammer 27 has pivoted to its fully cocked position when the sear lip 40 of the sear 38 is received by the full cock notch 41 of the hammer 27. Any further pivotal movement of the lever 50 will cause the bolt 25 to slide freely over the head 29 of the hammer 27 as shown by FIGURE 2.

The lever 50 is provided with a slot 57 coinciding with the position of the slot 17 of the receiver 11 for receiving a trigger 58 that is pivotally mounted to the lever 56 by a pivot pin 59. It is to be noted that the trigger 58 is mounted on the lever 50 so that when the lever 50 is pivoted away from the shoulder stock 22, the trigger 58 is also swung away from the receiver 11. The inner portion of the trigger 58 is recessed longitudinally as at 66 which permits the sear link 47 to pivot about a pivot pin 61 that is secured to the trigger 58, The sear link 47 swings between the inner edge of the recess 69 and a sear link stop or post 62 mounted on the trigger 58 in proximity of the outer edge of recess 60. The sear link 47 is provided with an arm 48 which engages the sear link post 62.

A coil spring 63 positioned in a recess 64 formed in the trigger 58 yieldingly forces the sear link 47 into contact with the sear link post 62. A further coil spring 65 positioned in a recess 166 formed in the lever 53 bears against the trigger 58 to yieldingly force the trigger 58 to its outermost position which is determined by the po-si tion of an adjustable take-up screw 66. The latter is threadedly mounted in a threaded bore 67 formed in the lever 50 and bears against the end of the trigger 58 to limit the outward swinging movement of the trigger 58. The function of the adjustable take-up screw 66 is to vary the clearance between the sear link hook 46 and the sear link notch 45 on the sear 38. This clearance permits the cocking lever 50 to be swung completely through its opening and closing swinging movements without disturbing or engaging the sear 38. Upon adjusting the position of the take-up screw 66, the are through which trigger 58 moves is also changed in the same relative amount that the clearance between the sear link notch 45 and the sear link hook 46 is affected. As this clearance is reduced so is the distance the trigger 58 must be pulled to fire the hammer 27 and vice-versa, without in any manner changing the operation of the firing mechanism. This clearance between the sear link hook 46 and the notch 45 on the sear 3 8 allows the hook 46 and the notch 45 to become repositioned during the cocking action of the rifle 1G to their exact relative position with their relation to the sear 33 without affecting the sear 33 itself.

In the normal operation of my rifle 10, with the hammer in the fired position as shown by FIGURE 1, that is, the rifle 10 had been fired, the hammer 27 being in an uncooked position and the lever 50 in its closed position, the rifle 10 is ready to be cocked for firing another cartridge. This may be accomplished in one of two ways, either by engaging the knurling of the hammer 27 by ones thumb and pulling thereon to pivot the hammer 27 rearwardly on its pivot pin 28 or by swinging the lever 50 outwardly on its pivot pin 51 away from the shoulder stock 22. In either instance the hammer 27 is brought to its half-cock or fully cocked position as is explained in detail hereinafter.

Upon grasping the cocking handle 53 and swinging the lever 50 outwardly from its closed position, the lever 56 will pivot about its pivot pin 51, the inner end 54 of the lever 50 will swing the rack 56 rearwardly and cause the pinion gear 20 and main gear 19 to rotate, which in turn will cause the bolt 25 to slide rearwardly in the receiver 11 pushing against the head 29 of the hammer 27. As the hammer 27 is forced rearwardly on its pivot pin 28, the sear lip is maintained in contact relation with the lower edge portion 43 of the hammer 27 by the yielding force exerted by the sear spring 44. If the rear pivotal movement of the hammer 27 were stopped when the sear lip 40 found itself at the position of the deep notch 42 on the hammer 27, the hammer 27 will be in its half-cock or safety position. However, upon continued rearward pivotal movement of the hammer 27, the sear lip 40' will engage the shallow notch 41 and the hammer 27 will be in its fully cocked position. As best shown by FIGURE 2, the trigger 53 and sear link 47 moved in unison with the lever 54} away from the receiver 11 when the cocking lever 50 was swung away from the shoulder stock 22 as the lever 50 pivoted about its pivot pin 51.

Upon swinging the lever 50 back to its closed position adjacent to the receiver 11 and the stock 22, the sear link hook 46 is received by the receiver 11 through the slot 17 and resumes its normal position clear of the sear link notch but in close proximity thereto. Note that since the trigger 58 is secured to the lever by the pivot pin 59 the trigger 58 moves with lever 50 when the latter is pivoting about its pivot pin 51.

The rifle 16 as shown by FIGURE 3 is now ready to be fired. As the trigger 58 is pulled rearwardly to fire the rifle 10, the trigger 58 will pivot about the pivot pin 59 against the spring pressure carrying along the sear link 47 that is secured to the trigger 58 at the pivot pin 61. The sear link hook 46 will now swing in an arc and move in the direction of the sear link notch 45 until the sear link hook 46 engages the sear link notch 45 as shown by FIGURE 4. A continued pull on the trigger 58 permits the sear link hook 46 to engage the sear 38 at the sear link notch 45 which blocks any further swinging movement of the sear link 47. The sear link 47 now commences to move in a forward axial path as the trigger 58 continues to pivot rearwardly carrying along the sear link stop 62 which now moves away from the sear link arm 48 as shown by FIGURE 5. The sear link hook 46 moving in a forwardly direction will pull on the sear 38 at the position of the sear link notch 45 and compel the sear 38 to commence to pivot about its pivot pin 39, causing the sear lip to swing away from the shallow notch 41. When the sear lip 40 has left the position of the notch 41, the hammer 27 will be released and under the force of the main spring 33, will swing on its pivot pin 28 in the direction of the bolt 25. The hammer head 29 will strike the firing pin 26 to fire the cartridge. At the moment the sear lip 4t] leaves the notch 41 of the hammer 27, the sear lip 40 will be out of contact engagement with the lower portion 43 of the hammer 27. Since the hammer 27 flies forwardly and in an instant completes its swinging movement to strike the firing pin 26 while the person pulling the trigger 58 retains his rearward pull thereon, the sear lip 40 cannot inadvertantly engage the deep or half-cock notch 42 as the hammer 27 rotates to prevent the head 29 from engaging the firing pin 26. In fact, even if the trigger 58 were released at the precise moment that the sear hook 40 were disengaged from the shallow notch 41, the sear link hook 46 cannot be moved out of engagement with the sear link notch sufliciently fast to permit the sear spring 44 to pivot the sear 38 in order that the sear lip 40 can swing into engagement with the deep notch 42 as the hammer 27 pivots to fire a cartridge. When the trigger 58 has been released after the hammer 27 has fired a cartridge, the trigger spring 65 will cause the trigger 58 to swing forwardly while the yielding force of the sear link spring 63 maintains the sear link 47 engaged with the sear 38 to prevent the sear 38 from pivoting under the force of sear spring 44. When the trigger 58 has swung to position the sear link stop 62 into engagement with the sear link arm 48, further pivotal movement of the trigger 58 will compel the sear link 47 to swing downwardly removing the hook 46 from the sear link notch 45 and thereby releasing the sear 38. The sear spring 44 now forces the sear 38 to pivot about the pivot pin 39 and the sear lip 40 to engage the lowermost portion 43 of the hammer 27 below the position of the deep or half-cock. notch 42. Once the hammer 27 has been fully cocked, the hammer 27 will strike the firing pin 26 when the trigger 58 is pulled.

To place the hammer 27 in its half-cock position from the fired position, as shown by FIGURE 8, a person may pull rearwardly on the knurled portion 30 of the head 29 until the sear lip 40 has arrived at the position of the deep notch 42 when the force of the sear spring 44 will pivot the sear 38 and cause the lip 40 to engage the notch 42. Also, the cocking lever may be swung outwardly a relatively short distance from the shoulder stock 22, which movement will cause the bolt 25 to push the head 29 of the hammer 27 and swing the hammer 27 on its pivot pin 28 to the position when the sear lip 40 will engage the half-cock notch 42.

In order to lower the hammer 27 to its half-cock position from its full-cock position, the knurled portion 30 of the hammer 27 is held with ones thumb as the trigger 58 is pulled thereby pivoting the sear 38 and causing the sear lip 40 to be disengaged from the full-cock notch 41 and release the hammer 27. The hammer 27 is now permitted to pivot slowly toward the bolt 25 and the sear lip 40 is free of the full-cock notch 41. The trigger 58 is now released as the hammer 27 is continued to pivot toward the bolt 25 until the sear lip 40 engages the half-cock notch 42 at which time the hammer 27 is at its half-cocked position.

If during the cocking of the hammer 27 by a persons thumb engaging the hammer knurls 30, the hammer 27 is released prior to reaching the half-cock position, the hammer 27 will strike the firing pin 26 with insufficient force to fire the cartridge in the rifle chamber. Also, if the hammer 27 is released prior to arriving at the fully cocked position ,the hammer 27 will pivot forwardly under the influence of the hammer spring 33 during which time the sear lip 40 is maintained in contact engagement with the lower edge portion 43 of the hammer 27 by virtue of the spring force 44. Now as the released hammer 27 rotates in the direction to fire a cartridge, the sear lip 40 will engage the deep notch 42 as the latter arrives at the position of the sear lip 40, which stays the rotational movement of the hammer 27 at its half-cock position.

If it is desired to return the hammer 27 to its fire position against the firing pin from the half-cock position without firing a cartridge that may be in the firing chamher, the hammer 27 is pivoted rearwardly by withdrawing the hammer by ones thumb a short distance, then pressing the trigger 58 rearwardly while the thumb remains on the hammer 27 and allowing the hammer 27 to slowly pivot towards the firing pin 26. By pulling rearwardly on the trigger 58 after the hammer 27 had been pivoted to a position beyond the half-cock notch 42, the sear link hook 46 engaged the sear link notch 45 to pivot the sear 38 in the direction so that the sear lip 40 was out of contact with the lower portion 43 of the hammer 27. Consequently, when the hammer 27 was permitted to slowly pivot in the direction of the firing pin 26, the sear hook 40 out of contact with the edge 43 of the hammer 27 slid past the position of half-cock notch 42 freely. Had the trigger 58 not been actuated when the hammer 27 was being slowly pivoted, the hammer 27 would have stopped its forward pivotal movement at the half-cock position because the force of the sear spring 44 would have maintained the sear lip 40 in contact relation with the lower portion 43 of the hammer 27 and the half-cock notch 42 would then receive the sear lip 40 to stop movement of the hammer 27 at the half-cock position.

When the hammer 27 is in the half-cock position as shown by FIGURE 8, the sear lip 40 will be received by the deep notch 42 causing the sear 38 to pivot a greater amount than when the sear lip 40 is received by the shallow full cock notch 41. Consequently, the sear link notch 45 of the sear 38 will find itself more to the left at half-cock than at full cock position. When the trigger 58 is pulled with the hammer 27 in the half-cock position, the sear link hook 46 cannot engage the sear link notch 45, because the latter is to the left of the path of movement of the sear link hook 46. As the trigger 58 is pulled the sear link hook 46 engages the lower surface 42 of the sear 38 as shown by FIGURE 9 without effecting any movement of the sear 38 while the recess 60 permits the sear link 47 to pivot about its pivot pin 61 away from the post 62.

After cocking the hammer 27 to the full-cock position by use of the cocking lever 50 and returning the cocking lever 50 to its fully retracted position against the shoulder stock 22, the rifle 10 is ready to be fired and will fire upon actuating or pulling the trigger 58. If, however, during the return movement of the cocking lever 50 to its retracted position, the trigger 58 has been pulled, the hammer 27 will be in the full-cock position but cannot be fired. As best shown by FIGURE 6 as the cocking lever 50 is short of returning to its closed position against the shoulder stock 22 the pulled trigger 58 positions the sear link hook 46 to the right of its normal position and is therefore not received by the sear link notch 45. When the cocking lever 50 has been brought to its closed position as shown by FIGURE 7, the sear link hook 46 engages the lower edge portion 49 of the sear 38 as the sear link 47 pivots away from the post 62 and into the recess 60 without effecting any movement of the sear 38. To fire the rifle 19, the trigger 58 must first be released so that the trigger 58 and shear link 47 may swing away from the sear 38 and permit the sear link spring 63 to pivot the sear link 47 to its normal position with the sear link arm 48 engaging the stop or post 62. At this position, the sear link hook 46 is in close proximity but spaced from the sear link notch 45 which now is in the path of movement of the sear link hook 46 when the trigger 58 is pulled as explained 'hereinabove.

The sear 38 is comprised of a relatively small mass having a pivot pin 39 at approximately its mid-position so that the mass is equally distributed thereabout. The

sear 38 is restrained from rotating in a clockwise direction by the hammer 27 and is resisted from rotating in a counterclockwise direction by the sear spring 44. Because of the balance of its mass, the sear 38 cannot be actuated by severe shock or vibration loads, thereby eliminating the danger of dropping the rifle 10, for example, when the hammer 27 is in the full-cock position and the impact of the fall compelling the sear 38 to rotate against the sear spring 44 and disengage the sear lip 44} from the shallow notch 41 to fire the rifie 10. Likewise, severe shock and vibration loads cannot effect actuation of the sear link 47 for the reason that the sear link hook 46 is in spaced relation to the sear link notch 45 when in the ready-to-fire-position and is prevented from engaging the sear link notch 45 by the sear link stop 62 mounted on the trigger body 58. Note that the sear link notch 45 is in the path of movement of the sear link hook 46 when swung upon pivotal movement of the trigger 58 about its pivot pin 59. Upon contact with the sear link notch 45 by the sear link hook 46, the sear link 47 is prevented from continuing its swinging movement about the pivot pin 59 as center of rotation and now moves axially by virtue of its pivot pin 61 mounted on the trigger body 58.

Axial movement of the sear link hook 46 causes the sear 3-8 to rotate and swing the sear lip 40 out of engagement with the shallow notch 41 to release the hammer 27 for firing a cartridge. Any shock or vibration loads that may be imparted on the sear link 47 can only swing the sear link 47 in the trigger recess 60 in a direction away from the sear 38. The scar link stop 62 prevents any swinging movement of the sear link 47 about its pivot pin 61 in the direction of the sear 38.

It is readily apparent that the trigger mechanism shown and described hereinabove as pivotally mounted on the cocking lever may be readily adapted to other types of rifles as well as small arms which do not use cocking levers. This can be done by pivotally securing the trigger mechanism to the receiver itself.

What I claim as new and wish to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A fire arm comprising a receiver, a hammer pivotally mounted in said receiver, said hammer having a plurality of notches, one of said notches being shallower than the other of said notches, sear means pivotally mounted in proximity of said notches and received by one of said notches when the hammer is fully cocked and by the other of said notches when the hammer is partially cocked, said sear means assuming a first position when received by said shallow notch and another position when received by said deeper notch, and trigger means pivotally mounted on said fire arm including a scar link pivotally mounted at one end, stop means mounted on said trigger means at substantially the other end and engaging said sear link, a sear link hook mounted on said sear link and engaging said sear means to release said hammer when said sear is in said first position but ineffectual to engage said sear means and release said hammer when said sear means is in said other of said positions.

2. The structure as recited by claim 1 taken in combination with a cocking lever pivotally mounted on said receiver and said trigger mean being pivotally mounted on said cocking lever.

3. A fire arm comprising a receiver having a chamber and a plurality of openings communicating with said chamber, a bolt slidably mounted in said receiver, a cock ing lever pivotally mounted to said receiver, interengaging means mounted on said receiver engaging said cocking lever and said bolt for sliding said bolt rearwardly upon cocking said lever, a hammer pivotally mounted in said chamber having a head portion extending through one of said opening in the path of said bolt, main spring means yieldingly urging said hammer in the direction of said bolt, said hammer having a plurality of notches, one of said notches having a different characteristic than the other of said notches, a sear pivotally mounted in said chamber in proximity of said notches, said sear having a lip portion received selectively by said notches, yielding means urging said lip portion in the direction of said notches, said sear having a trigger engaging notch, a trigger movably mounted on said cocking lever, said trigger extending through another of said openings in said chamber when said cocking lever is in a closed position, a sear link movably mounted on said trigger, stop means mounted on said trigger engaging said sear link and preventing the movement of said sear link beyond said stop means, spring means urging said sear link in the direction of said stop means and a scar hook mounted on said sear link in close proximity to said trigger engaging notch, whereby said sear lip being engaged by said one of said notches of said hammer, said trigger engaging notch is in position to be engaged by said sear link hook to release said hammer when said trigger is actuated while when said sear lip is received by said other of said notches on said hammer, said sear link hook is inefiectual to engage said trigger engaging notch and thereby unable to release said hammer.

4. The structure as recited by claim 3 taken in combination with adjusting means engaging said trigger for adjustably positioning said sear hook with relation to said trigger engaging notch.

5. A fire arm comprising a receiver having a chamber and a plurality of openings communicating with said chamber, a bolt slidably mounted in said receiver, a cocking lever pivotally mounted to said receiver, interengaging means mounted on said receiver engaging said bolt and said cocking lever for sliding said bolt rearwardly upon cocking said lever, a hammer pivotally mounted in said chamber having a head portion extending through one of said openings in the path of said bolt, main spring means yieldingly urging said hammer in the direction of said bolt, said hammer having a plurality of notches, one of said notches having a different characteristic than the other of said notches, a sear positioned in said chamber in proximity of said notches, a pivot pin mounted at substantially the mid-portion of said sear, said sear having a lip portion at one end received selectively by said notches, yielding means urging said lip portion in the direction of said notches, said sear having at its other end a trigger engaging notch disposed substantially laterally, a trigger moveably mounted on said cocking lever, said trigger extending through another of said openings in said chamber when said cocking lever is in a closed position, a scar link pivotally mounted to said trigger, stop means engaging said sear link and preventing the movement of said sear link beyond said stop means, spring means urging said sear link in the direction of said stop means and a scar hook mounted on said sear link in close proximity to said trigger engaging notch, whereby upon said sear lip being engaged by said one of said notches of said hammer, said trigger engaging notch is in position to be engaged by said sear link hook when said trigger is actuated while when said sear lip is received by said other of said notches in said hammer, said sear link hook is ineffectual to engage said trigger engaging notch whereby upon pivotal movement of said trigger with said hammer fully cocked, said sear link hook engages said trigger engaging notch, stops swinging and commences to slide laterally as said trigger continues its pivotal movement and effecting a pivotal movement of said sear with said sear lip leaving said one of said notches and said hammer being released.

6. A fire arm comprising a receiver having a chamber, a hammer pivotally mounted in said chamber, said hammer having a notch, a sear pivotally mounted in said chamber in proximity of said hammer, said sear having a lip portion received by said notch when said hammer is in a fully cocked position, yielding means urging said lip portion in the direction of said notch, said sear having a trigger engaging notch, a trigger, means pivotally mounting said trigger in proximity of said sear, a scar link pivotally mounted at one end to said trigger, stop means mounted on said trigger at the other end of said sear link preventing the movement of said sear link beyond the position of said stop means, spring means urging said sear link in the direction of said stop means and a sear hook mounted on said sear link in close proximity to said trigger engaging notch whereby upon pivotal movement of said trigger with said hammer in its fully cocked position, said sear link engages said trigger engaging notch, stops swinging and commences to slide laterally as said trigger continues its pivotal movement and effecting a pivotal movement of said sear with said sear lip leaving said notch and releasing said hammer.

'7. A trigger for a fire arm comprising a body portion, a sear link pivotally mounted at one end to said body portion, stop mean mounted at the other end of said trigger limiting the outward swinging movement of said sear link, a sear link hook mounted adjacent to said other end of said sear link and extending beyond said trigger and spring means yieldingly urging said sear link in contact relation with said stop means.

8. A cocking lever for a. fire arm comprising a body portion having a slotted portion, a trigger pivotally mounted at one end to said cocking lever and lying along said slotted portion, a scar link pivotally mounted at one end to said trigger, stop means mounted on said trigger at the other end of said slotted portion limiting the outward swinging movement of said sear link, a sear link hook mounted adjacent to said other end of said sear link and extending beyond said trigger and spring means yieldingly urging said sear link in contact relation with stop means 9. The structure as recited by claim 8 wherein said body portion is provided with a recess along one edge portion and said sear link lies in said recess.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 86,971 2/1869 Conklin 4216 290,848 12/1883 Burgess 42-21 454,993 6/1891 Catlin 42-2l 2,952,934 9/1960 Yovanovitch 4269 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner. 

